58 



You cannot help catching fish if you are angling at the same 

 time that the fish are feeding on the worms you have thrown in. 

 Some people may perhaps say, if the fish should return while 

 we are away and find nothing to eat, they will leave the place 

 altogether and seek food elsewhere. This is a mistake. I have 

 proved hundreds of times that they will and do stop. I consider 

 the baiting I have described has been quite sufficient to keep 

 them about the place for one day at least, if not for two or three. 

 If you wish to fish the place a second or third day throw in five 

 or six hundred whole dew worms at night after you have done 

 fishing. I have sometimes found the fish bite better on a second 

 or third day than on the first, but not after. The first day has 

 invariably been the best. If the wind blows wrong and you have 

 not a chance of fishing a place you have baited on the- 

 first day, do not give it up. The fish are there and will bite as 

 soon as you can angle for them in the right style. Come again 

 on the second day, and if the wind is favourable there is nothing 

 to prevent your having good sport. 



When the water is very clear, what I call gin-fine water, then 

 Barbel fishing is very difficult, more so than any other time, 

 as the fish can see the deception you are using to trap him, and 

 is very cautious and suspicious You should then fish with the 

 finest tackle you can get, and let your bottom shot be eighteen 

 inches from the hook. The fish can also see you or your rod, 

 or anything shadowing over the water, when you little think he 

 can, and if he does is off in a moment like a shot. This is the 

 time that Barbel require a deal of " foxing," and I am certain 

 the man that can catch them well when the water is clear and 

 the sun bright, must understand something of Barbel fishing, 

 but to give an idea of the best mode of dodging and licking 

 him in this state of the water, I will relate what occurred on 

 one occasion with a party of gentlemen whom I accompanied 

 to a Barbel swim on the Trent. Having occasion to go to 

 the Thames on a fishing excursion, my friends engaged other 

 fishermen to fill my place while I was away. The water being very 

 fine and low nearly all the time, Barbel fishing was very difficult. 



